The Jack Report: Food, Sleep and Tantrums

So just a quickie today, I can say that we are doing pretty well with the new food plan! It is going to be a slow plan in reality, but then as a Mum to a 23 month old I have learnt there are no overnight fixes and patience really is a virtue. More than that, its a requirement.

We have decided to implement family mealtimes, this may sound odd to the nuclear family who sit down at the table, tv off and everyone is content and serene but for us its usually about eating in shifts and sadly I don’t think that is uncommon in todays society. Jack eats early and then his Dad and I sit down for a few blissful minutes – yes minutes – the ability to savour food has well and truly gone out the window! In our world if you don’t eat quickly you don’t eat. However that plan doesn’t do anything at all for our tiny fussy foodie toddler. So a new plan has had to be fashioned. Jack now eats a weetabix after his nap (yes the nap continues for now – laaaaaaaaaa!) then as soon as Daddy Keeling-Smith walks in the door from work dinner is on the table (I picture myself as Doris Day here in my mind but in reality its more chaotic frenzy with masses of peelings on the counter tops and a tonne of dirty dishes in the sink). Jack has VOLUNTARILY put in his mouth: carrots, garlic bread and naan in the last 3 days. He has never tried any of these things before (not for want of trying) so I am hopeful that if he carries on watching us that he will come to understand that food is not the enemy and most of all is not something to be scared of.

A gro clock has been placed by his cot, it seems to have banished his nightmares and has given him some sort of understanding about what is a suitable time to get up, stars equal sleep, sun equals get up time. Tempting as it was to set the sun to come up at 10am, it is a more reasonable 6am now. Toys have been placed at the end of his cot so that if he chooses to get up and party at 2am he will be doing it with Elmer the Elephant and not with Mummy. Although I think it says something that ‘Dadda’ is called for when he wakes up as he knows Mummy is quite frankly crap at certain times of the day and he hedges his bets with the more reliable and coherent parent.

It seems though that although we are progressing with food and sleep the terrible twos tantrums continue. Another fine performance was given this morning after swimming. It was a simple battle of Mummy saying it was time to get out and Jack replying in no uncertain terms ‘I don’t think so Mother’ except that message was communicated with little arms and legs flailing, full on sobs and an attempt at a headbutt. Sigh. My wonderful friend Kirstie didn’t bat an eyelid and assured me to ignore it, even when he was a sobbing starfish on the floor of the leisure centre cafe. His little buddy, my friends daughter, was a true pal and sat solidly by his side while he ranted and raved.

I feel a little shattered and shaken. Even considered putting him on ebay by the time it got to early afternoon. He is still sleeping now and it will soon be time to wake him up. One sleepy snuggily ‘cuggle’ from my little man and I know the tantrum incident will be long forgotten 🙂